St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-11-05
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.

SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
TIE Future Of the Jersey Cow.
Tho spread Of tho Jersey COW in the
United States is something wonder
full yet quito easy of explanation.
I; needs scarcely to be said that her
popularity is due to the fact that she
meets . widely felt want and supplies
Il rs 10 other COW has ever been able
to do In England the Jersey cow
has teen. and is, the rich mans pet;
in America she has become tho poor
mans friend But phenomenal as
has l,een the growth Of tho Jsrsy in
tcrest it has by no means reached its
full development. Indeed the move
ment bids fair to attain proportions
without . parallel in the history OF
domestic animals This development
10 predicted with entire confidence. be-
cause it Is not dependent on any un-
natural or artificial ''booming." but is
the heal,hful product Of natural
growth
Differentiation Is the process. IL not
the Law. in all progress. This funda-
mental trnth is strikin ely illustrated
in the history Of farming in Tennessee.
In 1870 the census showed Tennessee
to be tbs largest corn-growing State
in the U hion; in 1850 the largest hog
GROWING: Safe; in 1860 the largest
mule-growing State; and there are
good grounds for believing that.
but fer the war. in 1870 she
would have been the largest cattle
CROWN: State. Now these different
records were in no wise due to tickle
ness am ong the farmers or change Of
crops. On the contrary. moro corn
was grown in 1850 than in 1870; more
hogs in 1850 than in 1850 In 1870 the
corn was either distilled into whisky
or fat-toatcd to New Orleans. while in
1850 it vas fed to hogs. and they were
driven 10 the cotton plantations South.
So in 1860 large part Of the corn was
fed to mules. to be sent South also. In
the meantime. every other branch of
farming was growing rapidly.
More grass was grown, more
cattle were reared and more
wheat Gown. All Of these changes
were but steps in differentiation. BY
division Of labor tho progress was
achieved. The movements were all
in the direction OF specialization.
Stockmsn were coming to be known
by their favorite animals as sheep
men. hog-men. mu:e-men. Shorihorn-
men or thoroughbred-mcn. OF course.
after the war we all had to begin ut
the bottom. so far rs material re-
sources went. but we began at the top
so far rs stock experience went So
that. rs soon rs We had fixed up our
fences" we took up the line Of march
Just where it hal been left
OF. Now. stock farming is
a great advance upon grain growing
or the keeping Of fiocks and hertls in
that it requires more forethought. the
exercise Of more judgment and con-
slant attention in more details But
stock-farming itself in the process Of
development divides into = number
Of distinct branches, of which dairy
farming is the most advanced. because
tho most specialized. Dairy-farming
was unknown in Tennessee before the
war. outside of a few small dairics
near Nashville and Memphis. Now
the business Is fast attaining
prominence and is not confined to
the vicinity Of cities Creamcrics arc
springing up in all parts of the State.
These croamerics arc creating . de-
mand for good butter cows. Nothing
meets this demand like the Jersey
cow Hence it comes that The Jersey
COW Is q prime factor in this latest
step in agricultural progress in Ten
nessc. Here. too. we find an explana-
lion Of the fact that the business of
breeding Jerseys has SO constantly
and % steadily increased in Tcnnes-
sec.
What is true Of Tennessee is to q
certain. though less extent true Of
the most Of the Southern States.
The growth Of dairy-farming is one
Of tho most constant features that
works the wonderful development Of
all parts Of the South. of which mag
azines and newspapers are having so
much to say Of late. And wherever
dairy farm Is started sooner or later
the Jersey cow comes in to take her
place as queen Of the dairy.
But only . respectable minority Of
farmers in Tennessee or else where in
the United States are specialists The
great majority still. Of necessity,
follow mixed husbandry. This will
continue to be the case for many
years 10 come. Each such farmer
has need to keep ono or moro COWS
for milk and butter, and raises during
the year one or moro calves for sale.
Hero lies the widest field for the
spread Of Jersey cows However
great she may DO in the dairy it is Is
the family cow that she most excela
Hero she is absolutely without . COM
petitor. Oace introduced she be-
comes henceforth an indispensable
member Of the family. Until this
field ID exhausted the demand for good
Jersey COWS win continue. The men
who ought to b benefited BY this de-
mand. and who undoubtedly will b.
are the real stock farmers who are on
gagged in the business Of breeding Jer-
sey cattle. To such men. and the
number grows larger almost every
day, the business offers good and cor
tain profits and very much pleasure.
Cgousrleof - Fasmes's Ho,Rs JowsSal